18th Century Building Retrofitted For Living Building Challenge

This Pro Tour will bring attendees to the Williams College campus for a close look at an academic center built to the stringent standards of the Living Building Challenge. This project consists of two distinct parts, combining new-construction with a deep energy retrofit of a college building dating back to 1793.

This mixed-use building houses eleven offices for faculty and staff, a reading room, a classroom, small study spaces, and a full commercial kitchen.

The building is operating the first licensed rainwater collection and treatment system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the few non-chlorinated public water supplies in the United States and one of the first projects to attempt Living Building Challenge with rainwater collection. Two composting toilets reduce water use, and greywater is treated on-site in a constructed wetland. The building is designed to produce 100% of its energy needs through on-site solar panels (currently tracking at ~80%).

Attendees of this tour will learn the practical details of how a 270 year old structure was retrofitted, expanded, and transformed into a state-of-the-art academic building.